Biography

For someone whose acting career was at a virtual standstill for about a decade, Patrick Dempsey may hold the bragging rights to having arguably one of the greatest career comeback stories of his time. Famous for starring in the '80s romantic-comedy hits Can't Buy Me Love, Some Girls,…more

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Trivia and Quotes

Trivia

In October 2009, Dempsey was honored by the community of Lewiston, Maine as the first-ever recipient of the Minerva Award, which is given to people who use the arts to improve the lives of the residents in the area.

Since the success of his show, Grey's Anatomy, Dempsey has endorsed and appeared in advertisements for the following products/companies/organizations: State Farm, Mazda, Versace, New York & Company, Het Huis Uw Opticien, American Stroke Association, NFL's Monday Night Football, 2010 Subaru Outback.

In 2006, Dempsey signed a contract with ABC raising his salary to $225,000 per Grey's Anatomy episode. He also earned $750,000 for Enchanted (2007), $500,000 for Freedom Writers (2007), and $4,000,000 for Made of Honor (2008).

Patrick is the founder of the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing at Central Maine Medical Center. His formerly cancer-stricken mother Amanda was treated at that center back in 1997, and his sister Mary is a nurse there.

In January of 2008, Patrick Dempsey auctioned off his 2005 Ford Mustang FR500C (the same car he drove in the 2007 Grand-Am KONI Challenge series), for charity, at the Barrett Jackson car auctions in Scottsdale, AZ. The winner paid $200,000 and also won his helmet, firesuit, shoes, third season DVD of Grey's Anatomy, and driving lessons from Patrick himself.

At the age of 12, Patrick was diagnosed with dyslexia and could barely read or write, so he used his charm to hide this secret. Patrick says, "I think it's made me who I am today." As an adult, Patrick is still known to have very messy handwriting.

His stepfather, Howard Lowell, an organic farmer, is Irish while his mother, Amanda Dempsey Lowell, a school secretary at his high school, is American. She has two older sisters, one of whom (Mary) works in a hospital.

In November 2006, Patrick and Grey's Anatomy co-star Isaiah Washington (Burke) got in a scuffle on the set. The pair had a heated exchange regarding a fellow actor being late to the set, with Isaiah making a homophobic comment. Isaiah then struck at Patrick before being pulled away by security.

Once, Patrick was at the hospital because his daughter split her chin open and the doctors were having trouble with the stitches. He didn't want his daughter to have a scar, so he asked why they didn't use glue. The doctors did and were very impressed with him.

Film and TV Movie Credits:• A Fighting Chance (1986) as Kellin Taylor• In a Shallow Grave (1988) as Daventry• Happy Together (1989) as Christopher Wooden• Coupe de Ville (1990) as Robert 'Bobby' Libner• Run (1991) as Charlie Farrow• For Better and For Worse (1993) as Robert Faldo• Face the Music (1993) as Charlie Hunter• Bank Robber (1993) as Billy• Bloodknot (1995) as Tom• The Right to Remain Silent (1996) as Tom Harris• Odd Jobs (1997)• The Escape (1997) as Clayton• The Player (1997) as Griffin Mill• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1997) as Pierre Arronax• The Treat (1998) as Mike• Crime and Punishment (1998) as Rodya Raskolnikov• Jeremiah (1998) as Jeremiah• Me and Will (1999) as Fast Eddie• Chestnut Hill (2001) as Michael Eastman• Blonde (2001) as Cass Chaplin• Corsairs (2002)• Rebellion (2002) as Tyler Rae• About a Boy (2003) as Will• Shade (2006) as Paul Parker

Patrick, long-time race enthusiast and co-owner of Vision Racing, part of the Indy Racing Series, was the Grand Marshall of an IRS race at Texas Motor Speedway in 2006. He also participated in the Rolex Grand-Am Series 2008 races.

When he was a teen, Patrick dreamed of being a juggler and dreamed of attending Clown College. He mastered the skill during a power outage in high school and won 3rd place in the National Jugglers Convention. He also juggled for Barbara Walters during her 2006 Oscar Special.

During an episode of Grey's Anatomy, Patrick had to revive a cardiac arrest patient. He had been shown several times how to do it correctly, but when the cameras started to roll, Patrick pressed the chest of his male patient a little too hard and broke the extra's rib. He offered to pay the man's medical bills and a speaking part when he recovers.

Since July 31, 1999, Patrick has been married to Jill Fink. They have three children together -- twin boys Sullivan Patrick and Darby Galen (b. February 1, 2007), and a daughter named Tallulah Fyfe (b. February 20, 2002), whom they named after a little girl who once assisted him on a shopping expedition.

In 1987, Dempsey married Rocky Parker when he was only 21 and she was 48. They had no children together and divorced in 1994. Patrick claims that his best friend is actor Corey Parker, Rocky's son, who is just a year old than him.

Quotes

Patrick: I'm not afraid to fail, even in public. It's too easy to pretend you have it together, because no one does. The more you can allow yourself to make mistakes, the better off you're going to be. That's what life is about. You're going to get thrown off, and you just need to get back on.

Patrick: (about being considered a "hottie" by female fans) People are seeing a fantasy. It's not necessarily me, but it does help your ego. My wife makes fun of me for it. She always says in the morning, "They should see you now!"

Patrick: (about his father dying when he was 18) That's a big loss. It would have been nice to have been able to communicate with my father as a man, not just a kid. I would have liked to have had that. But you have to find it in yourself. You have to be your own father.

Patrick: (about fathering three children) I'm loving it, and it surprises me because I like being alone, but at the same time, there is something really comforting in a house full of kids. Then I got home to projectile vomiting one night, and it was like, "Wow! Back to reality."

Patrick: (about his wife) Oh, she's my bodyguard. I mean, I'm a married man, and the last thing you need in that situation is to be considered a sexy individual. But I try to never let this whole McDreamy thing really influence us. I'm trying to just have a calm family life, to make my marriage work. It's not as if when my wife asks me to take out the trash, I say, 'Um, honey, don't you realize that I'm too sexy for that'? Well, actually, I do, but she gives me crap for it.

Patrick: (about his family holidays in England) It was nice to be in an environment where you're not that well known. Here in L.A., we can't go out without somebody taking pictures or videotaping us, which is ridiculous. Being in Europe gave us a sense of getting back top normal as a family. You're relaxed, not looking over your shoulder.

Patrick: (on his dyslexia) Reading to my daughter has been therapeutic. I've gone back and started to learn to read on a very basic level. I'm reading Dr. Seuss, and I'm healing that part of myself, as well as developing my daughter.

Patrick: (on why he couldn't stand to go to the movies during his decade-long career-drought) I'd come in with this bitter attitude. It's not an escape, because I feel this disappointment, this jealousy.

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